State Police to Offer Free Child Safety Seat Inspections Statewide

Pennsylvania State Police will offer free child safety seat inspections statewide in conjunction with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s "Click It or Ticket" campaign from May 23 to June 5, Commissioner Frank Noonan announced this week.

Noonan said troopers conducting inspections will teach parents how to correctly install and use safety seats.

Information about inspection locations is available by calling any state police station. The closest location to the greater Media area is in Philadelphia at 2201 Belmont Avenue from 5 to 7 p.m. on May 26. Call 215-560-6200 for more details.

During the campaign period, troopers also will conduct traffic safety checkpoints to educate the public about traffic laws. Noonan said state police will focus their traffic law enforcement efforts in areas with traditionally high numbers of crashes.

"With heavy traffic expected for the Memorial Day holiday weekend, it’s crucial that we encourage drivers now to make sure that all passengers are properly restrained whenever they travel," Noonan said. "I’m directing our troopers to adopt a zero-tolerance policy toward violations of the state’s seat belt and child passenger restraint laws during this campaign period."

According to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, the state’s current seat belt usage rate is slightly under 88 percent.

"That statistic means about 12 of every 100 people traveling on our roads are taking a terrible risk with their lives," Noonan said.

To learn more about Pennsylvania’s seat belt and child safety seat laws, visit www.buckleuppa.org.